Tell me it's not true! California Man Cited For Driving Stock Chevy in Sport Mode.

[El Presidente]

Jesus, my license wouldn't survive a month 

 

California Man Cited For Driving Stock Chevy Camaro SS 1LE In Sport Mode

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2024/07/california-man-cited-for-driving-stock-chevy-camaro-ss-1le-in-sport-mode/

A Chevy Camaro owner in California has posted a story to an online enthusiast forum about an incident where he was apparently ticketed for driving his stock 2019 Chevy Camaro SS 1LE in Sport Mode. The law enforcement officer who issued the ticket was primarily concerned with the noise level of the factory exhaust system. The ticket involves setting an appointment with the local automotive referee, which the Camaro driver estimates costs $100, as well as a court date.

[NSXCIGAR]

95 decibel limit in CA. However I believe the officer must conduct a sound test on scene to legally issue a ticket. If that's been done properly and it tested above 95 dB you're going to have to modify something before taking it to the referee to get a compliance certificate. 

I would certainly call a lawyer to see if the validity of the on-scene test performed by the officer can be attacked. I'd imagine there's a good chance it can be. 

I can certainly get behind noise level violations much more than I can emissions and aftermarket exhaust violations but if you're going to look the other way for ridiculously loud motorcycle exhausts (which they seem to) it's a little rich to crack down on cars with OEM exhausts that might be a couple dB over the limit. I hear obnoxiously loud motorcycles setting off car alarms constantly.

[avaldes]

It REALLY pisses me off when hot rods get noise tickets and Harley's blast around at obscene noise levels without any consequences.

[BrightonCorgi]

If his car is OEM and over db limit in stock form; Chevy and/or the selling dealership should be cited or sued. They sold him a non-compliant car.

[Ford2112]

California is no fun.

[BrightonCorgi]

I leased a new Jaguar about 10 years ago. Never had anyone in the back seat beyond my dog until a road trip from Boston to Montreal to drop a friend off. He sat in the back seat and what do you know; the seat belt buckles don't work. What is dealer prep for? Aren't they supposed to ensure they are delivering me a safe car? Seat belts are a primary safety restraint. 

I mentioned the above on a Jaguar form how franchise dealer delivered me a car that is unsafe to drive. Jaguar corporate reached out in no time.

[Chitmo]

Yup. One of many reasons California’s population is declining rapidly. 

[NSXCIGAR]

4 hours ago, BrightonCorgi said:

If his car is OEM and over db limit in stock form; Chevy and/or the selling dealership should be cited or sued.  They sold him a non-compliant car.

Not all cars sold in the US are CA compliant. If it's not I would imagine there was some fine print that he missed telling him so, or at least disclosed to the original buyer. And unfortunately it doesn't matter if the car is registered in CA or not. If it's driven on a CA road it must be CA compliant meaning every emissions and exhuast component must be CARB-legal and below 95 dB. 

[BrightonCorgi]

29 minutes ago, NSXCIGAR said:

Not all cars sold in the US are CA compliant. If it's not I would imagine there was some fine print that he missed telling him so, or at least disclosed to the original buyer. And unfortunately it doesn't matter if the car is registered in CA or not. If it's driven on a CA road it must be CA compliant meaning every emissions and exhuast component must be CARB-legal and below 95 dB. 

I am assuming he bought the car in CA and planned to register in CA.

[Chitmo]

40 minutes ago, NSXCIGAR said:

Not all cars sold in the US are CA compliant. If it's not I would imagine there was some fine print that he missed telling him so, or at least disclosed to the original buyer. And unfortunately it doesn't matter if the car is registered in CA or not. If it's driven on a CA road it must be CA compliant meaning every emissions and exhuast component must be CARB-legal and below 95 dB. 

Don’t forget the “This may cause cancer” warning stickers 😜 

[NSXCIGAR]

On 8/1/2024 at 1:01 PM, BrightonCorgi said:

I am assuming he bought the car in CA and planned to register in CA.

It does say he lives in CA but it doesn't say the dealer is in CA. He may have used an out-of-state dealer or the CA dealer may have traded for it with an out-of-state dealer. That particular car with whatever package of options he wanted might very well not have been available from a CA dealer. 

[99call]

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[Jack]

Living in Los Angeles, California, I can say that this is the "easy" way for LEO's to cite someone they suspect is being mischievous. It requires them to trek to a referee - which is normally the California Highway Patrol and waste a few hours of their time, but normally nothing else.

This is done where homeowner complaints are "annoying" the city officials. Noise complaints. Not saying that those complaints aren't valid -My area has many due to the suburban quite being broken by exhaust noise.

I have a neighbor who feels the laws of the state they live in don't apply. The family registers their cars to a shell company in another state with less restrictive laws, removes all smog equipment and catalytic converters, reprograms their vehicles to ignore such things and blasts everyone away in the middle of the night when they come back from a late session of Pai Gow at the local casinos.

Yes, I know this because they brag about it to anyone who will listen to them.

This is why, more often than not, you will see high-end vehicles registered out-of-state, in California.

Partially the same reason people with eye-watering wealth can save a 100M a year by relocating to Nevada or Texas. It's not like you really need to live there, just say you do. Yes, some will argue that California checks on such things, but with such a large deficit in government there's more to worry about.

[free85]

The beauty of state rights. A terrible shame to see, but the citizenry must want it that way in the first place. 

[Lt4-396]

I'm sorry but, automotive referees? That is just hilarious. I always thought NY was bad but at least they don't care after 25yrs old.

[Jack]

4 hours ago, Lt4-396 said:

I'm sorry but, automotive referees? That is just hilarious. I always thought NY was bad but at least they don't care after 25yrs old.

It came about because you can buy off anyone, so the thought was that someone who couldn't be bribed would be best. It was tried with "referee" stations who were smog check certified - but were not allowed to perform any remediation work - just inspections, but no one wanted to do that and you could still bribe them. Not certain, but for noise and other things that don't require the smog check equipment it's the CHP who is the referee now, from what I've heard. We still have smog-check-only stations that do nothing else but that. They are closely watched and it's very publicly announced when one is caught not following the law to the letter.

Which is why it got to the point that there is an industry of registering vehicles residing in California in other states. There is little to no enforcement mechanism for that because the vehicles are no longer on the books in California so they become invisible.

[El Hoze]

I am a bit of a car guy, not a huge track guy…I remember a few guys years ago telling me how they had noise restrictions on cars running at Laguna Seca, arguably one of the most legendary racetracks in the world near Monterey, CA. Guys have had to put on “Laguna Seca pipes” which are these horrendous tailpipes that extend out in the back of the car and bend towards the drivers side (i.e. the inside of the track, as it runs counterclockwise).

I was astounded when I heard that. I think Laguna Seca opened in the 1950s. Imagine moving next to such a storied track and then complaining about the noise. I have a Shelby 427 with sidepipes that I roll out of my garage before I start it as my wife insists the house is going to collapse even at idle…at 6000rpms it is admittedly obnoxiously loud. Makes a Harley sound like a Prius. Luckily I live in Florida. 

[NSXCIGAR]

On 8/1/2024 at 2:40 PM, Jack said:

This is why, more often than not, you will see high-end vehicles registered out-of-state, in California.

The only thing that helps you with is emissions and registration fees. Any car operated in CA on any public road must be CARB-compliant. Typically the only way the police would know is by noise so if you're not loud you'll probably fly under the radar but it's unlikely that any modified emissions system is going to be at the stock noise level. The police can also inspect and look around to try and spot any modified components on the side of the road and ask questions. Car models that are favorites of modifiers or look raced out can pique the officer's interest. 

If you're not CARB legal regardless of the state the car is registered in and you get a ticket you're screwed because the referee not only checks the dB levels but also checks each component of your emissions system to confirm it's CARB legal. You'll have to pay the fines and then if stopped again they'll likely tow your car on the spot. Even if you don't live in CA the fines will go to the CA Franchise Tax Board for collections and if you use a bank that operates in CA it will be levied no matter what state your branch is in. 

In fact if an officer has probable cause to believe that your car's exhaust exceeds 95 dB or any component of your system isn't CARB-legal they have the discretion to impound your car even on the first traffic stop regardless of what state the car is registered in or whether you're just visiting CA for the day. 

[El Presidente]

14 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

If you're not CARB legal regardless of the state the car is registered in and you get a ticket you're screwed because the referee not only checks the dB levels but also checks each component of your emissions system to confirm it's CARB legal. You'll have to pay the fines and then if stopped again they'll likely tow your car on the spot. Even if you don't live in CA the fines will go to the CA Franchise Tax Board for collections and if you use a bank that operates in CA it will be levied no matter what state your branch is in. 

....I can only assume that the "dummy" DPF (diesel particulate filter) switched into my 10 cylinder twin turbo diesel would not be CARB legal 

[Ford2112]

19 hours ago, El Hoze said:

I am a bit of a car guy, not a huge track guy…I remember a few guys years ago telling me how they had noise restrictions on cars running at Laguna Seca, arguably one of the most legendary racetracks in the world near Monterey, CA. Guys have had to put on “Laguna Seca pipes” which are these horrendous tailpipes that extend out in the back of the car and bend towards the drivers side (i.e. the inside of the track, as it runs counterclockwise).

I was astounded when I heard that. I think Laguna Seca opened in the 1950s. Imagine moving next to such a storied track and then complaining about the noise. I have a Shelby 427 with sidepipes that I roll out of my garage before I start it as my wife insists the house is going to collapse even at idle…at 6000rpms it is admittedly obnoxiously loud. Makes a Harley sound like a Prius. Luckily I live in Florida. 

Thank all the McMansion owners who moved next to a racetrack and complained about the noise. I drive by Laguna Seca daily. Car week is next week. I ALWAYS leave town during car week lol. 

[free85]

What's even better is what in the WORLD these states are going to do for emergency services when it's time to "Go all electric." Diesel engines exist for a reason...

[BrightonCorgi]

On 8/4/2024 at 9:53 AM, El Hoze said:

I am a bit of a car guy, not a huge track guy…I remember a few guys years ago telling me how they had noise restrictions on cars running at Laguna Seca, arguably one of the most legendary racetracks in the world near Monterey, CA. Guys have had to put on “Laguna Seca pipes” which are these horrendous tailpipes that extend out in the back of the car and bend towards the drivers side (i.e. the inside of the track, as it runs counterclockwise).

Limerock Raceway in CT has similar. I saw an Aston Martin Vantage V12S get black flagged for being too loud. The only mod was secondary passive decat with stock exhaust.